Princess names 43 new speciesListen to this articleHer Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has bestowed names on 43 newly discovered plant and animal species, underscoring Thailand's rich biological diversity and the importance of conservation -- particularly in the Sarakam River basin, one of the few major tributaries in the Mekong system free from dam construction. "To mark her 70th birthday, the network of taxonomists proposed 43 newly identified species to be named by the princess. With the latest additions, Princess Sirindhorn has now named a total of 84 species -- doubling the previous number in a single year since she first named a species, the Sirindhorn bird, in 1968. The 43 species span a wide range of life forms, including butterflies, mushrooms, flowering plants, earthworms, parasitic wasps, ants, millipedes, shrimps, shells, frogs, and snails. The Sarakam River stands out as the only major tributary without dams, making it a critical refuge for various species.

Source: Bangkok Post December 26, 2025 05:39 UTC